Latino fusion restaurant ‘Blend’ mixes it up on Vernon.

Aah. Another restaurant. Even from the few short posts, it must be obvious how excited I get for new food in the hood. Blend popped up a few months ago on Vernon Blvd between 47th Rd and 47th Ave, nestled between longtime hood favorites Lounge 47 & Communitea. In fact, the first time I stumbled upon Blend, their opening night, I gossiped with the owners of Lounge 47 about the new kid on the block. Judging by the crowd on the first night, they seem to have hit a solid 2-run base hit.

Word on the street (Vernon) is a tentative thumbs up for Blend. And since this is one restaurant that I have braved (see previous post), I can say that I had an enjoyable service experience both times. Blend, referring to a special mix of Latino dishes, executes the fusion with mixed results. But there’s arepas on Vernon! Who would have thought. Specialty soups were promised to me on both occasions, and unfortunately were absent both times. The lollypop Chicken was yummy, but could have been salted a bit more. Avocado salad, hard to screw up, was dressed nicely. A nice, strong espresso really hit the spot.

The decor is a nice blend (ha) of exposed brick and minimal modern. Both comfortable and sleek at the same time. The only thing missing really was some vino. There’ll be a little wait on the liquor license, but what restaurant doesn’t have to go through that. Bring your own… I don’t remember anything about a corking fee, but don’t take my word on that. This is just about the food. And the fact. That. We. In. LIC. Have another place to eat.

$12-18/entree

• Blend website